This invention relates in general to power driven tools, and, more particularly, to an adapter for converting a radial arm saw into a router of over-arm character, being thus rendered capable of complete adjustability laterally or vertically.
Heretofore, numerous efforts have been expended for attempting to mount a router upon a conventional radial arm saw. One such prior attempt is revealed in Kreusler U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,629 wherein a router clamp is provided with components for direct attachment to the arm of a radial saw arm; therebeing a bridge plate fixed to a pair of inverted L-shaped brackets for engaging the saw arm, and with cylindrical collar members engaged to, and depending from, the said brackets. Kreuser gives no suggestion of how the supported router relates to the saw. But clearly Kreusler does not utilize the swingability of the carriage for the saw to render the router versatile; much less suggest longitudinal traversing capabilities of the router clamp by virtue of its direct, tight engagement to the arm.
Other current efforts for converting a radial arm saw having generally comprehended the expedient of directly engaging a fixture or adapter to the shaft of saw motor. Exemplary of this arrangement is disclosed in Bellini U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,298. Therein the saw blade is removed from its shaft and replaced by a pulley for operative connection to another shaft which supports a chuck for accepting the particular bit for the work to be performed. Thus, Bellini's structure deomonstrates a complete lack of universality, being an especially constructed router for connection to the saw drive shaft for power purposes. The Snow U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,391 also discloses a router adapter for radial arm saws which is designed to be directly secured upon the saw motor shaft as well as portions attachable to the saw motor housing. Snow's device incorporates an elaborate plate-support for the router together with clamps connected to said plate support for assisting to maintaining the router in position.
Thus the prior art is devoid of simplicity of construction, as well as being indicative of a propensity for connecting the earlier structures to the saw motor shaft or radial arm. These efforts have not proved efficacious in use.
Therefore, it is an object to provide an adapter for radial arm saws for converting same into an over-arm router whereby a broad gamut of routing or milling-type operations are achievable by virtue of the lateral and vertical mobility of the saw support.
It is another object of the invention to provide a routing adapter or converter of the character stated which is useful with a comprehensive line of radial arm saws, and which permits use of routers of varying manufacture and dimension, such as, for instance, within the popular range of approximately three to four and one-half inches, more commonly designed for individual or home usage.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter of the character stated which is of simple, yet highly durable construction being designed for facile, rapid mounting upon a radial arm saw with equal ease and speed of dissassembly.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a router adapter for radial arm saws which involves no means of direct attachment to the radial arm of the saw, so that the router may benefit in its range of adjustability to the same extent provided normally by the saw arm.
It is a further object of the present invehtion to provide a routing adapter for radial arm saws, the use of which provides the user with a pair of tools supported upon a common base whereas heretofore individual units had been required to provide the desired capabilities.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a router adapter for use with radial arm saws wherein there is no connection to the shaft of the saw motor, but rather the adapter is mounted at an angle of at least 90.degree. to the axis of such saw motor.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a routing adapter or converter of the character stated which is economically manufactured; which is extremely reliable in usage; the use of which does not require developed skill on the part of the individual operator; which renders the mounted router available for all the various modes of routing operations, many of which will permit freedom of the user's hands for work holding or manipulating purposes; and which is resistant to damage so as to assure of longevity of use.